Catholic Studies

The Repository of Arcane Knowledge provides access to a wealth of Catholic documents on theology, Biblical exegesis and Church history. Here we attempt to provide structure to the vast edifice of Catholic thought, allowing the reader to gain a sense of historical perspective in the Church's theological development. These resources include council decrees, papal encyclicals, catechisms, and essays on Catholic theology and philosophy. Additionally, there are original essays that relate perennial Catholic teachings in the context of modern scholarship.

Essays and Commentaries

The works below are original studies of Biblical exegesis and issues pertaining to the relationship between modern and pre-modern Catholicism. Essays on natural theology and philosophy will soon be added to the site.

Principles

The original essays on this site are intended to be consistent with Holy Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, as expressed by the decrees of the Magisterium past and present.

The external resources linked to this site are thoroughly examined and found to be consistent with Catholic orthodoxy and obedience to the Holy See.

The decrees of the Second Vatican Council and subsequent pontiffs are regarded as orthodox and consistent with the perennial teaching of the Church. Thus, in cases of ambiguity, modern decrees are always interpreted in a manner consistent with what the Church has solemnly defined in earlier centuries. This site rejects the schismatic notion that the post-Vatican II Church is heterodox, as well as the revisionist notion that the Council revoked or rendered obsolete any of the solemn definitions of the pre-Conciliar period. As a result, historical comprehensiveness is essential to all our analysis.

The principles of Thomistic theology are accepted as most clearly and unambiguously teaching the truths of the Catholic faith, as well as being harmonious with a rationally sound realist philosophy. Other theological approaches are possible, as long as they do not contradict the clearly established theses of Thomistic philosophy.

Biblical exegesis follows the principles established in Providentissimus Deus, acknowledging that the Holy Spirit is the true author of Holy Scripture, assenting to anything that is asserted by the inspired authors. Since it is metaphysically impossible for the Holy Spirit to assert falsehood, we must affirm as true anything that the inspired authors of Scripture intended to assert as true.